


Fathers and Sons

by phantomdieb



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Family Bonding, Fluffy, Gen, I'm an emotional mess, some tears
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-19
Updated: 2016-06-19
Packaged: 2018-07-16 00:11:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7244419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phantomdieb/pseuds/phantomdieb
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One afternoon, the doorbell rings and changes Ushijima's life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fathers and Sons

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kim_quim](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kim_quim/gifts).



> Inspired by [this picture](https://twitter.com/quim_kim/status/744480167234408448)
> 
> (Thank you Kim, for killing me. I'll kill you in return >D)

The radio was playing some kind of pop song he didn't know. It was nice of having some background music while cleaning the kitchen.  
  
Ushijima scrubbed at a particular persistant stain and let out a satisfied grunt when it disappeared.  
He was about to dry the dishes when suddenly the doorbell rang. It was exactly three in the afternoon, he noticed when he looked at the clock, but neither could he think of anyone who would visit him at that time, nor could he remember wanting to meet up with friends.  
  
  
Ushijima dried his hands and held the dishcloth in his hands when he opened the door – just to drop it. Because standing there in front of him, was no one else than Takashi Utsui.  
  
His dad.  
  
  
Upon seeing his son, Takashi opened his mouth, but no sound left. He cleared his throat and tried again.  
  
“Hello,” he managed to croak out, his voice raspy. It felt a bit awkward and he kind of felt self-concious under his son's stare.  
  
  
Twenty Years had passed since he had last seen him.  
He had been just nine years old back then. His eyes shining whenever his dad told him about volleyball, when he had taught him. And he always had been so eager to learn. He still remembered it clearly when his son sat in his lap and turned to look at him, just to say: “I'll become the best volleyball player in the world!”  
  
Back then, he had ruffled his hair and told him that he believed in him.  
And it was the truth.  
  
  
But now, as he was standing in front of his son, he didn't know what else to say than a simple hello.  
And his son hasn't even greeted him back. He still just stared at him as if he was a ghost.  
  
He didn't blame him.  
  
He could've reached out to him sooner. Should have reached out sooner. But he had been afraid. Of what? He doesn't even exactly know. Sure, he had divorced his now ex-wife. And it wasn't common to stay in contact with your child after a divorce. But still he wished that he had ignored the standards and talked to his son a lot.  
  
How often had he wondered how he was doing? How often had he wished to see him?  
Countless times.  
  
Sure he had heard that he was pursuing a volleyball career. He had read interviews, watched his games. Some of them even live. But he always went there in disguise. He didn't have the guts to talk to his son.  
  
But he was proud, so so proud of him.  
  
More than once he had told himself that he was going to contact him, talk to him, tell him that he's his whole pride.  
  
But he didn't.  
  
He had been too afraid of his reaction. What if he rejected him? Told him that he wouldn't want anything to do with him after he hadn't talked to him in years?  
So Takashi had stayed silent and supported his son from the shadows.  
And like this, it took him twenty whole years to finally be brave enough and visit him.  
  
  
Sudden footsteps made both Takashi and Ushijima break eye contact and turn towards the source of the noise.  
A tiny blob of orange hair shoved into their vision and grabbed Ushijima's hand, looking from his face, to the face of the strange man. Then he looked back at Ushijima.  
  
“Daddy, who is that?” he asked quietly.  
  
  
Takashi felt like all the air had been squeezed from his lungs. He stared at the little child. His _grandson,_ he realized.  
  
That child was his grandson.  
  
He was a grandfather.  
  
A sob escaped him and his eyes filled with tears.  
Both Shouyou and Ushijima turned back to him. Upon seeing his father like this, Ushijima finally found his voice again.  
  
“Shouyou,” he said and watched his son turn to him. “This is your grandfather.”  
  
Shouyou's eyes went big as he looked back to his grandfather, who was still standing there and sobbed quietly.  
Without losing another second, Shouyou leapt forward and hugged his grandfather as tight as he could.  
  
“Please don't cry. I love you.”  
  
  
It were Shouyou's words that completely broke him. Takashi's sobs turned into wailing, and the tears wouldn't stop falling.  
He sank to his knees and hugged his grandson tightly, still crying loudly.  
  
  
When he watched his dad crying, Ushijima teared up, too. He had missed him.  
  
How often had he wished for him to be there? To talk to him? To spend time with him?  
And now he was here. He was really here, right in front of him.  
  
Ushijima got down on his knees and hugged his son and his father tightly.  
  
“It's okay, dad. It's okay. You're finally here.”  
  
His voice cracked.  
And then –  
  
“Welcome home.”


End file.
